Tales of a teenage war veteran
by Jesus saved even me
Summary: Being both a teenager and a war veteran is no easy task. Especially when your also running a dragon sanctuary. When Kendra had a break down she has to count on others to help her.


** that I have other stories to be writing but this came up so here it is. This is for fairyprincesskendra and aerinmeline. It is base off one of my Brackendra headcanons. I will do the rest later but for now enjoy!**

**Tales of a teenage war veteran**

2 weeks. That's how long it had been since Kendra had last slept. She had become an expert at avoiding it, and truthfully, that's not hard to do when your running a dragon sanctuary. Though currently Kendra was being forced to come face to face with it and the constant struggle that came with it, nightmares. Nightmares caused by severe PTSD. Nightmares that were vivid and terrified her.

So now she fought it with all her might as she sat snuggled up to her boyfriend, Bracken. It seemed he was making it his mission to make her fall asleep. Bracken had been staying at Wyrmroost to help her and Seth. His warm hand was drawing soothing circles on her arm. Her head rested on his chest as they sat on a couch in the main room. She could feel his concern filled eyes on her as she fought the sleep her body desperately craved. His deep, soothing breaths and steady heartbeat sending her dangerously close to sleep. And though she wasn't sure, she had a hunch that some of her current overwhelming drowsiness, was induced by him through their contact.

As her body finally began to give in to the sleep that she so desperately tried to fight, a Minotaur named, Hasse, ran in calling for her. His urgent tone pulling her, violently out of her relaxed state, causing her to jump up immediately. Bracken quickly stood and grabbed her, in an attempt to steady her as the room tilted dangerously, her body's reaction to once again being denied sleep.

"What is it? What is wrong?" Kendra asked urgently, but taking her time knowing if she didn't her words would slur. The Minotuar couldn't seem to bring himself to look at her or Bracken. Especially Bracken. Glancing at the unicorn she found him fixing the Minotaur with a hard glare. Anger and frustration shining in his normally soft, blue eyes.

"My apologies to the caretaker and his highness, but there is an issue that needs the caretakers immediate attention."

" You have no reason to apologize, lead me to the problem." She

Said, somewhat grateful for an excuse to stay awake. The Minotaur nodded and began to walk in the opposite direction. Kendra could feel Brackens reluctance to let her go, but he did and then immediately regretted not at least scolding the Minotaur. Kendra quickly rushed in the direction the Minotaur had gone before he changed his mind.

(Bracken)

As soon as Kendra disappeared, Bracken immediately fell back onto the couch and put his head in his hands. He had been so close to helping her fall into the sleep her body was begging for. He hadn't meant to scare the Minotaur. But after the hour it took to get Kendra that close to sleep, and to have it all wasted, angered him. He wasn't angry at a person, more at the situation. Kendra was making herself sick by working this hard without sleep. If she kept at this she could seriously injure herself, or worse. Bearing this thought In mind, he decided to follow her. That way he could at the very least, be there to help her.

His thoughts continued to run through all the horrible possibilities. He began to hear arguing in the room at the end and to the right of the long hall. He reached out and found his horn. He was immediately alarmed at how weak Kendra was in that moment. Bracken walked quicker as he looked through her vital signs. As he reached the door, he felt her heart beat and breathing slow to a dangerously low level. Panicking, he threw open the door, just in time to catch Kendra's now unconscious body before it hit the ground. Ignoring the protests, Bracken picked her up, alarmed at how easy it was. It was too easy. He quickly carried her to her room, gently laying her down before going to fetch Tanu.

(Kendra)

The Minotuar led her to one of the many conference rooms. Standing in the middle was a man she truly didn't have time to deal with. Garreth. The prince of the Fair Folk. The boy had broken many rules of neutrality to visit her on multiple occasions. It annoyed her that he didn't seem to understand the fact that she was taken. That she wasn't interested.

Try as she might, Kendra couldn't focus on the conversations. Without warning, the room tilted and black spots filled her eyes. Kendra began to panic when she found it hard to breathe.

She heard her name being called and felt herself fall. But before she could fade into oblivion she felt a strong pair of arms catch her.

(Time skip, still Kendra)

Kendra felt a burning sensation in her nose as she slowly began to regain consciousness. She heard the deep, soothing voice of Tanu coaxing her into opening her eyes. Kendra unexpectedly took a deep breath and immediately began to cough, as the smelling salts burned her lungs and nostrils. Her eyes flew open in an attempt to regain the ability to breathe. Tanu helped her sit up and rubbed her back as the coughs subsided.

"Easy there Kensy, you gave us quite a scare. " He said gently laying her back down on the bed.

" What happened?" She question, searching her memory.

" You passed out." She heard another voice say. She turned her head to see Bracken standing in a corner not far with his arms crossed over his chest. He did not look at all happy. She stared into his silvery blue eyes, there was an uncharacteristic anger and intensesness to his normally soft, caring eyes. His muscles where taunt and his strong jaw set in a frown. The tenseness in the room could be cut with a knife. Tanu cleared his throat uncomfortably breaking the intense stare down. He stood and walked to the door. He handed Bracken a potion and then turned his eyes to her.

" Kendra, you are to stay in bed until I say otherwise. You passed out due to exhaustion and hunger." Tanu said then gesturing to the potion in Brackens hands, " You must drink all of that potion and eat before I'll even think about anything. I don't want to be tough like this, but you have got to start taking better care of yourself. We love you tinkerbell. "

Kendra fought the tears that rose in her eyes and nodded, not trusting her voice. Tanu sighed and walked out the door, closing it softly behind him. Kendra watched Bracken intently , he walked towards her and set the potion down on the table by her bed.

" Bracken?" She said quietly. He looked at her and for the first time she could see the sadness and concern there.

" Why? Why don't you stop? Why do you push yourself like that?" He asked just as quietly.

" I ca-"

" No Kendra! Don't you dare give me, of all people, that ' I Can't' junk!" He said his voice raised." What do you think me and Seth, Tanu, Warren, Your grandparents, are here for! Why do you think we are here?! Cause it sure as anything isnt to watch you slowly work yourself to death! " He was yelling now. Kendra had never heard Bracken yell at anyone before, least of all her. Quite frankly it terrified her. She fought the urdge to burst into frightened tears. She hardened her tough girl resolve before responding.

" Well, I can't exactly stop now can I, Bracken. You may be a prince but i seriously doubt that you where forced into a destiny you didnt want, hunted and forced to be come caretaker, at the age of 16! In fact the only thing you seem to have been doing lately is getting yourself captured." She yelled back. Anger flashed in his eyes and he quickly turned around and walked out of the room the door slamming the door behind him.

Kendra realeased the tears that she held back. She curled into a ball as she sobbed. Eventually the tears drained the last of her energy and she drifted off into a restless sleep.

(Dream)

_Kendra stood terrified on side step cliff staring at a man she had previously thought her friend. Gavin. No Navarog, she reminded herself. He lunged at her, pinning her to the ground with his foot. The freezing rain pelted her skin, drenching her and causing her to shiver violently. Navarog reached down and grabbed the collar of her shirt, pulling her off the ground to meet his eyes." You have always been weak Kendra. You stand no chance." Navarog said, before standing and roughly grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him when she refused. He laughed darkly at the fear he saw, before saying " You naive little girl. You really think that anyone loves you?" _

_He roughly grabbed her arm, his nails digging painfully into her skin, as he dragged her. Suddenly she was standing on the shoreless isle. Bracken stood over Seth's dead body, a bloody sword in his hands. Around him lay the bodies of her family and loved ones. He looked at her, his eyes blood red and filled with an anger that caused her to tremble in fear. He laughed a truly malevolent laugh. _

_" You stupid, excuse for a fairykind. I can't believe you could actually think I of all people cared for you." He began to walk closer and Kendra found she couldn't back away. " You really thought someone as ugly, fat, lazy, and unintelligent as you, deserves the Prince of the fairy realm?" Tears streamed down her face as he grabbed her chin and tilted it to look at him. " You useless, waste of space. Believe me when I say, no one will miss you, in fact, they will all thank me for ridding them of a pest."_

_Bracken raised his bloody sword aiming for her head. Kendra screamed and braced herself for the pain. Before the sword could reach her, she heard her name being call and felt her body shake. The images began to fade as she was pulled out of the horrible dream..._

(Bracken)

Bracken walked back down the hall to Kendra's room feeling overwhelmed by guilt. He had left her when she needed him. He had yelled at her for something out of her control, when he truthfully wasn't even angry with her. He could never be angry with her. The situation, the fact that they forced her to work until the point of extreme exhaustion, that angered him. As he reached her door, his heart broke when he heard sobbing. Bracken knocked softly before opening the door. He felt as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest at the sight before him. Kendra was writhing on the bed, tears streaming down her face. Kendra's terrified scream snapped him out of his trance as he ran to her.

" Kendra! Kendra, wake up! It's only a dream come on, wake up!" Bracken frantically said as he shook her shoulders in a desperate attempt to wake her from this imagined agony.

Suddenly she shot up in the bed, still screaming loudly. Her breathing was erratic and coming out much too fast. She struggled fiercely against his grip.

" Kendra, it's Bracken!" He said, hoping it would calm her. Unfortunately, it only served to make it worse. Her breaths coming so fast he was afraid she'd pass out. Warren ran in and push Bracken out of the way as he was obviously making the situation worse. Warren wasted no time pulling the struggling fairykind into his lap and whispering in her ear. Seth ran in and took one look at his sister and ran off to find Tanu. Bracken's heart completely shattered when he heard Kendra begin to mutter between her quick breaths.

" Bracken... No... Bracken." Kendra muttered her breaths speeding back up when Warren had semi calmed them.

" Kendra, he's right here, sweetheart." Kendra trembled against Warren and began to sob harder.

" No... Don't let him ... Hurt me... Warr." She desperately squeezed out between breaths. Warren's eyes darkened in pure fury as he looked at Bracken and mouthed the word 'Out'

As Bracken quickly left the room, he almost ran into Tanu and Seth. Bracken watched from the doorway as Kendra struggled even harder, if possible, when Tanu tried to get her to drink a potion. As her breathing sped and faltered and she began to lose consciousness, they resorted to holding her, quickly weakening body, down. Seth held her legs, Warren held her arms, and Tanu forced her to drink the potion.

After only a few seconds Kendra's breathing returned to normal. The 3 men let go as the potion fully sedated her. Her struggles stopped and her eyelids drooped closed.

Bracken stood outside the door, heartbroken, guilty, and awaiting the inevitable explanation he was about to give to a very angry Warren Burgess and Seth Sorenson.

(Warren)

The only emotion he felt in the moments after Kendra drank the potion was fury. No beyond it. That was possibly the worst panic attack, he had ever seen her have. And it was caused by that unicorn. As soon as he was sure that Kendra was asleep, he ran out of the room. To find the unicorn standing outside the door. It took everything in him not to lose it and beat Bracken senseless. Prince or no Prince. No one, and he meant NO ONE, messed with his baby cousin.

"Alright Unicorn, you got some explaining to do before I rip you to shreds, or Seth catches on and does it for me. " Warren said, anger evident in his voice.

" I honestly don't know why she was so scared of me just now." Bracken sounded frustrated and it only served to add to Warren's anger. He grabbed the front of Bracken's shirt and shoved him against the wall.

" Wrong answer. Kendra doesn't have a panic attack over nothing. She doesn't randomly start begging me to keep her safe from someone, over nothing. So I suggest you tell me a real reason, before I really lose it. Because let me tell you something, Unicorn, I don't care who or what you are, you hurt Kendra, I will not hesitate to kill you and personally present your body to the demon king!"

Bracken's eyes widened and he said, "Warren I really don't know why! We had a small argument earlier, before she fell asleep, but I never hurt her! I could never and would never do that!"

"Oh no, you hurt her, there's no doubt about that. Whether physically, and I hope for your sake it's not, or mentally is matter of what happened. But either way, whatever you did really hurt and scared her. So find a way to make it up to her and fix it." Warren said bitterly letting go of Brackens shirt. He believed that he didn't physically hurt her. He would find out more from Kendra. Warren smirked at Bracken's retreating form when he remembered, Bracken still had to deal with Seth. And chances were, as protective as he was over Kendra, the young shadow charmer wouldn't be nearly as forgiving. One thing was for sure, Bracken wasn't going to escape that conversation, unscathed.

(Kendra)

Kendra felt herself floating to the surface of consciousness. She still felt, incredibly drowsy and sluggish. Slowly she opened her heavy eyelids and looked around the room, trying to piece together what had happened. Her mind felt slow and fuzzy. Kendra began to feel more awake as the minutes passed. The events slowly coming back to her. The argument, the dream. All of it. A small knock on her door, pulled her out of her thoughts. The door slowly opened and she saw the silver haired unicorn walk inside. Leaving the door slightly ajar. Kendra turned her head, unable to meet his eyes.

" Kendra, I am so sorry. Words can't describe how sorry I am. I should never have yelled at you in the first place, let alone over something you couldn't control. I was just so scared when I felt you just go limp in my arms. I was angry that you had been pushed to that point." Bracken said, his voice breaking. Kendra turned her head and looked at him. His eyes were red rimmed, from crying. His hair messy from running his fingers through it. And he had some of his silver blood dried under his nose, which she suspects came from either Warren or Seth.

" It's alright Bracken, I'm sorry that I pushed myself and that I yelled back."

" You had every right, love. Alright now slip some shoes on and come with me, I have something to show you...

( Time skip, still Kendra)

Kendra currently sat in a beautiful grass field, protected by the fairy Queen. She finished her sandwich and moved to sit closer to her boyfriend who had his back against a tree. The Bracken had carried her there on his back, insisting that she shouldn't walk. He had led her hear where he had already set up a picnic. The two laugh until there sides hurt. Both letting there goofy sides show. Now he gently pulled her small body into his lap, slowly giving her a chance to protest. In response, Kendra snuggled closer to his warmth, feeling. a slight drowsiness creep up on her. Bracken gently rocked back and forth, stroking her hair in a way that could not have been more comforting.

" When I was a child, my sister Mizell would take me to a place like this. To help me relax when the life of a prince became too much. She used to play for hours on end with me until i had utterlly worn myself out. I didn't learn until later that Mother would scold her for leaving the fairy realm, but she..." Bracken's whispers trailed off as Kendra began to fall asleep. At that moment she felt more relaxed than she had ever felt. She felt protected and most importantly, she felt loved. She didn't fear the nightmares that might come, because she knew Bracken would be right there. And finally Kendra fell into the peacefull sleep she needed. A restfull sleep that lasted into the next day.


End file.
